Abstract: A multicolor display which comprises a high contrast liquid crystal device, light source and a luminance balanced color mask. The liquid crystal device is the transmissive, twisted nematic type having high extinction ratio polarizers on the input and output sides and functions as a light shutter for the display. The liquid crystal material has a dichroic dye admixed therein to prevent buildup of the contrast limiting orthogonal mode electric vector of polarized light. The color mask contains different colored patches with gray surround about them, and each colored patch is luminance balanced in order that each different colored data presented are of substantially equal brightness. during the off-state there is no light bleed through so that the display presents a uniformly dark state or dead front.

Abstract: A time shared transceiver laser system which may be rapidly switched between two subsystems while using the full power of the laser beam and which also generates a local oscillator beam required for coherent detection. A method of time sharing and for generating the local oscillator is disclosed.

Abstract: Compensating darkening is provided over the area at the back of liquid crystal displays, so that light from one or more concentrated sources near the back of the display may result in essentially uniform illumination of the display through the LCD from the back. The compensating screen may be a developed film of suitable selected gradation, or a raster of points produced by half-tone process from such a film and printed either on a transparent foil or on the back of a translucent circuit board. Instead of being based on an exposed film, the density of the size of the raster points may be generated by a point-by-point light measurement recorded in computer memory and translated to point dimensions applied automatically by a plotter to a screen. A raster of circles with progressively wider spacing is useful for illumination by a single lamp.

Abstract: A cosmetic and observer line of sight mirror which includes a mirror having two sets of orthogonal lines with one set substantially horizontal and disposed over the face of the mirror or about the edge thereof to facilitate application of cosmetics to produce a balanced effect and enable movement of the mirror through selected angles about a horizontal axis to afford the user an image corresponding to the user's appearance observed by another at a selected distance and elevation. The mirror may also be provided with supporting means for leveling the mirror and include a scale calibrated in terms of elevation and distance of an observer.

Abstract: A backlighted liquid crystal display is disclosed which includes an electroluminescent backlight having a reduced amount of phosphor acting as both a source of light for viewing the display during nighttime hours and as a light diffuser for viewing the display during daytime hours. The electroluminescent backlight is made thinner while the phosphor content is optimally reduced to provide a backlight that improves the viewability of the display especially during daytime hours without the need of a transflector. Wherein the minimal amount of phosphor is dispersed in a binder in the electroluminescent layer is substantially 1 volume unit of phosphor for every 4 to 5 volume units of binder.

Abstract: An optical arrangement is disclosed which provides color selective prepolarization of the light incident upon two or more light valves. This is accomplished by the use of a prepolarizing prism which acts on light from a light source to direct light of a first polarization to a first dichroic separator and light of a second polarization to a second dichroic separator. Each separator transmits an output beam having substantially a single color and a single polarization state. The two resulting beams are recombined by a dichroic adder prior to being applied to a second polarizing prism. The second polarizing prism directs light of a first color and polarization to a first light valve and light a second color and polarization to a second light valve. The result is that one light valve sees light of a first color and a first polarization and the other light valve sees light of a second color and second polarization.

Abstract: An electric device for adjusting the angle of reflection of a mirror mounted on a motor vehicle. The mirror is pivotally connected to an actuator unit housing containing two actuators. Two adjusting nuts each having a movable pivot are respectively moved forward or backward by their actuators so as to adjust the angle of the mirror. The device of the invention is characterized by having a first guide means and/or a second guide means for controlling the direction of inclination, horizontal or vertical, of the mirror so as to prevent the mirror from being obliquely displaced during the operation of the motor vehicle. The first guide means comprises a cross-shaped member provided in front of the actuator unit housing and a cross-shaped groove, engaging therewith, provided on a mirror holder. Alternatively, the first guide means may comprise a cross pin, one of the two axes thereof being supported on the actuator unit housing, the other axis thereof being supported on the mirror holder.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element which is composed of a TN liquid crystal cell containing nematic liquid crystal of positive dielectric anisotropy and an N type dye having the same long molecular axes as the liquid crystal and polarizing plates respectively disposed opposite both side plates of the liquid crystal cell. The polarizing plates each have the direction of polarization substantially parallel to the orientation of molecules of the liquid crystal near the side plate of the liquid crystal which each polarizing plate confronts, and one of the polarizing plates is a color polarizing plate.

Abstract: In an optical instrument including a birefringent liquid crystal cell of the type consisting of a pair of transparent plates and a zero-twist, nematic-phase, liquid crystal material with a positive dielectric anisotropy between the plates, the liquid crystal molecules being oriented in and tilting in a plane perpendicular to the cell plates, a beam of light being conducted through the cell, generally normal to the plates thereof, it has been observed that if all of the rays of the beam are not collimated, each ray will suffer a different retardation in passing through the cell and this is unacceptable in most applications. This problem is minimized, according to the present invention, by using a filament light source positioned with the filament axis normal to the plane of the tilting molecule axes or by using two liquid crystal cells between a pair of polarizers, one of the cells being rotated 180.degree.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises a pair of opposed substrates, a transparent electrode on at least one of the substrates, a liquid crystal composition, a characteristic orienting film comprising an organic high copolymer resin film formed at least over the surface of the electrode, and which shows an excellent orientation, and conductive particles mixed within the orienting film to reduce the resistance of the orienting film.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device, wherein a fill port for inserting a liquid crystal composition thereinto is sealed by using a photo-setting resin composition comprising an acrylic or methacrylic type resin as a major resin component and two or more photosensitizers different in quality, is excellent in reliability and the sealed portion of the fill port can sufficiently and uniformly be cured both in surface and inner portions by irradiation of light in a short time.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel comprises a pair of polarizers, the polarization axes of the polarizers being substantially orthogonal each other, a pair of substrates each supporting an electrode, a film provided between one of the substrates and one of the polarizers, the film having an optical axis inclined to the polarization axis of said one of the polarizers at about 45.degree., and a liquid crystal material disposed between the substrates, molecules of the liquid crystal material being twisted at about 90.degree. between the surface of the substrates. The panel is adapted to provide a positive type display where the film is not positioned and the panel is adapted to provide a negative type display where the film is positioned.

Abstract: Nematic liquid crystal display is provided with front side polarizer (13) and homeotropic orientation in the non-field state. The nematic liquid crystal (6) has a negative dielectric anisotropy.The display cell has an internal reflector (11) consisting of an insulating oxide layer with built-in aluminum flakes and a front side polarizer (8, 13). This display provides a reflection display with no back lighting.

Abstract: A display device for displaying light characters against a dark background, particularly a liquid-crystal display. It has a fluid which can be switched between two optically different states located between two support plates (1, 2) which are parallel to each other. On one of the facing surfaces of the support plates there is applied an insulating layer of fixer which contains the spacer elements (7). The support plates (1, 2) are maintained at a given distance from each other by these spacers (7). Furthermore, a polarizer (11, 12) is associated with each support plate (1, 2). In order to assure a strong contrast between the character and its background with precise maintenance of the distance between the support plates (1, 2), the insulating layer of fixer completely covers the support plate (1) and the spacer elements (7) consist of a material of dark color.

Abstract: A highly multiplexed liquid crystal display employs nonlinear varistor elements exhibiting a particularly low capacitance value to effectively drive individual liquid crystal cells. Low varistor capacitance is achieved through controlled addition of Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 during varistor manufacture.

Abstract: A passive electro-optical display element for the representation of information, having two glass plates spaced apart from each other and forming a chamber therebetween, on the chamber side of each plate there being provided a transparent electrode support and the chamber being filled with a liquid-crystal substance, while polarizers are arranged on the outer surfaces of the plates. The surface of the polarizer on the viewing side of the display element facing the observer and away from the glass plate is formed with a plurality of depressions of irregular structure. A reflector is disposed on the polarizer at the opposite side of the display element.

Abstract: A display apparatus including a liquid crystal device is disposed to turn on or off in the presence or absence of a control voltage respectively. Information located under the liquid crystal device and normally occulted, becomes visible when the display turns on.

Abstract: A multiple function, multiple digit meter includes a light directing structure (18) for providing uniform illumination to digits (14) of display (12). A block (20) of clear plexiglass has a surface (22) facing the display (12). Edges (24, 26) of the block (20) have notches (27, 28) for receiving incandescent bulbs (30) to direct light into the block (20). The block (20) has a back surface (32) which curves upward moving away from the bulbs (30) toward the center (34) of the block (20). Surface (32) is reflective to direct light toward the display (12). The configuration of the surface (32) causes an increasing percentage of light received at the surface (32) from the lamps (30) to be reflected toward the display (12), with increasing distance from each lamp (30). The panel meter (40) has a first manually actuated means (70) for selecting one of the multiple functions of the meter (40) and a second manually actuated means (72) for changing a displayed value of a selected function.

Abstract: The multi-layer liquid crystal display panel disclosed herein includes a plurality of liquid crystal layers, terminal electrodes for the respective liquid crystal layers disposed so as not to overlap each other in a plan view, and a wiring film for connecting the respective terminal electrodes. The terminal electrodes and the wiring film are bonded through infrared radiation or thermal bonding. The film is typically made of polyamide or polyester carrying a patterned conductive material.

Abstract: To increase the perimeter seal strength of plastic LCDs, reinforcement holes are formed in the plastic substrate at the maximum stress points. These holes, which are not in contact with any active area of the device, are filled with glue, so that each pair of holes in the upper and lower substrates forms a tensile connection which directly links the two substrates together at the maximum stress points.